Favorite Day on Earth

Yesterday was my Dad’s birthday and he would have been 83 years old. He was a dad like none other and together with my mother designed a beautiful life for me and my sisters. They laid a foundation of faith, family and shared love between 6 people under one roof. I never know where my mind will take me each morning but I always know Who leads me there. This morning while thinking of Daddy my mind was transformed back to my bedroom in West Manor. It was a beautiful bedroom with pretty pink walls and wallpaper that had pink flowers popping all over one wall. I slept under a pink canopy in a white poster bed with a large purple and pink butterfly made of tissue tied to the inside pole of my top canopy. I shared a bathroom with Becki and when we both closed our bedrooms door, we spent hours coming and going into each other’s room. It was nothing for Beth to sneak in my room after Mother and Daddy put her to bed. Many nights Benay would want to sleep with me and I’m not sure if I ever said no. There was a hanging wicker chair in one corner of my room and a pink telephone with a long pink curly cord. I spent hours listening to Elton John on my little record player, sitting in my hanging chair and talking to my friends on my pink phone. I can still hear the gentle knock on my door by Mother or Daddy letting me know it was time to hang up and go to bed. Pages of diaries with scribbles of both tearful times and optimistic dreams filled a drawer of my desk along with hours of Disney scenes I had drawn. On the inside of my closet was a list of boyfriends who had come and gone. But as I recall these tangible details creating a wonderful memory of my one of my perfect times in my life, I realize it was only made possible because of who loved me. The culmination of my sweet life behind my bedroom door was made possible because of the love of those who surrounded me, and the promises from those who protected me…my parents.

Why do I tell you all of this today? Because I believe that some of our greatest moments and favorite memories in our lives where we felt most protected and loved will still fall short when we are residents of Heaven. We will have our own little spot in the Kingdom created by God with all the joys and surroundings that speak to our unique hearts. Just as my parents designed a beautiful life for me, God already has a beautiful life in Heaven designed for each of us. Our greatest joys here are mere snapshots of what is to come in the eternity. There is no need to fear death on earth because it is simply the vessel taking us to a life that has been purposely and meticulously prepared for us. I will one day hear the gentle knock of my dad to join me in my part of the kingdom. I will look around and see that Beth has once again snuck in my area of Heaven. It will be better than anything I have ever experienced on earth, and the Glory of our eternity will wear a crown and walk with us through the cool of the gardens of Heaven. Whenever I am missing my loved ones, I turn my mind to their reality in Heaven instead of my reality on earth. I’m thankful that they are living out the fullness of what was just an earthly snapshot of their favorite day on earth.